A fresh look at the 2013 NFL Draft

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Mock drafts this early are usually pointless because players move up and down draft boards based on the NFL Combine, other personal workouts or incidents off the field. However, mock drafts in January do give fans a sense of where their favorite teams will most likely go in the NFL Draft.

In the NFL, teams need four basic things, a quarterback, offensive line, pass rush and secondary. Most of the teams at the top of this draft board struggle in one or more of these areas and will address them in the first round. There are a lot of linemen taken in the top-10 of this particular mock draft, but that is mostly because this year’s class is particularly deep in offensive and defensive linemen.

A couple of interesting notes about this particular mock draft. The final four picks in this draft were determined by the favorites to win this weekend’s conference championship games and then the subsequent favorite to win the Super Bowl. The Washington Redskins traded their first round pick to the St. Louis Rams for the chance to draft Robert Griffin III last season, so they won’t have a pick in this mock draft.

Also, not a single running back came off the board and only one quarterback was selected. This is mostly because I am not sold on many of these quarterbacks or running backs as first-round picks and teams can grab value elsewhere. In general the skills position in this class are not overly terrific, but then again teams will reach for these skill players. This draft looks more at who teams should draft given the value not who they will actually take.

Kansas City Chiefs- Luke Joeckel OT Texas A&M

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As much as the Chiefs would love to go with a quarterback here, there is no signal caller worthy of being the top pick. Therefore, Kansas City finds a player who will do a better job at protecting whoever will be under center for them.

Jacksonville Jaguars- Bjoern Werner DE Florida State

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The Jaguars had the least sacks of any team in the NFL, so it only makes sense they address the pass rush. Even though Jacksonville may have wanted to go with an offensive player, the smart choice is to turn to the defense.

Oakland Raiders- Jarvis Jones LB Georgia

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The Raiders must address the defense this offseason and this is an excellent first step towards that goal. Oakland will need to address the secondary in the future, but it needs a dominating linebacker to help lead the defense.

Philadelphia Eagles- Dee Milliner CB Alabama

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With Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie likely to test the open market, the Eagles take a cheaper alternative, who made play just as good if not better. This may not be Philadelphia's most pressing need, but a good pass defense will be important in the NFC East.

Arizona Cardinals- Geno Smith QB West Virginia

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If there is one glaring hole with the Cardinals, it's the lack of a competent quarterback. Arizona solidifies that position with this pick and we all wait and see what this quarterback class has to offer.

Buffalo Bills- Alec Ogletree LB Georgia

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The Bills have a lot of talent on defense, but they were missing a big time linebacker, which they pick up. There is no other quarterback worthy of a top-10 pick so finding the last piece on defense is the pick.

New York Jets- Manti Te'o LB Notre Dame

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Let the debate begin! Te'o's character is being called into question because of this fake girlfriend incident, but he is still an excellent linebacker. The Jets do not shy away from media attention and Te'o should be able to make an impact in the Big Apple.

San Diego Chargers- Eric Fisher OT Central Michigan

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The Chargers gave up the fourth most sacks last season and this is the perfect place to address that problem. The draft is loaded with quality offensive linemen and Fisher is an under the radar player with a lot of talent.

Miami Dolphins- Keenan Allen WR California

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The Dolphins got their quarterback last year in the draft and they have a great running back. This year Miami goes after a passing weapon for Ryan Tannehill and Allen is a dynamic playmaker that was stuck on a terrible team.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Xavier Rhode CB Florida State

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The Buccaneers struggled against the pass this season and they had a lot of opportunities to look at Rhodes when he played in Tallahassee. Tampa Bay is still a young team and will only get better as more young talent is acquired.

Carolina Panthers- Star Lotulelei DT Utah

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The Panthers need a big guy to anchor their defense and that's exactly what they're getting. Carolina was in the middle of the pack against the run last season and this pick will help make them a difficult team to run on next season.

New Orleans Saints- Dion Jordan LB Oregon

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The Saints had the worst defense in the NFL last season, so any defensive help would be appreciated. New Orleans picks up a speedy pass rusher who can play with a hand in the dirt or stand up as a linebacker.

St. Louis Rams- Lane Johnson OT Oklahoma

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The Rams need help along the offensive line to help protect Sam Bradford and open up holes in the running game. St. Louis showed a lot of promise last season and an improved offensive line will take them a long way next season.

Pittsburgh Steelers- Sheldon Richardson DT Missouri

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The Steelers are starting the process of finding replacements for their aging defense with this draft. Pittsburgh needs to continue to plug up the run in order to stay competitive in the AFC North and they accomplish that with this pick.

Dallas Cowboys- Sharrif Floyd DT Florida

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The Cowboys need to get tougher in the trenches and it's tough to bypass this talent. Dallas is lucky to get a guy like Floyd at this position and it will take him in a heartbeat to help the run defense.

New York Giants- Tyler Eifert TE Notre Dame

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The Giants are in the market for a passing threat at tight end and they found their man in Eifert. New York has the flexibility to move him to receiver if need be, but it is a great pick to make the Giants even more dynamic on offense.

Chicago Bears- D.J. Fluker OT Alabama

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The Bears need an offensive line. They could not protect Jay Cutler at all last season and every fan in the Windy City knows where Chicago has to go in the draft. The Bears snap up a lineman from the Crimson Tide, a program known for their quality pro players.

Cincinnati Bengals- Sam Montgomery DE LSU

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The Bengals are the first playoff team to draft in 2013 and they will look to improve the defense. Cincinnati needs to find someone to compliment Geno Atkins on the defensive line and they find that in Montgomery.

St. Louis Rams- Zach Ertz TE Stanford

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The Rams use their second pick to add another weapon for Bradford on offense. After finding someone to protect him, the least St. Louis can do is give him another target to throw to, especially one as reliable and big as Ertz.

Minnesota Vikings- Cordarrelle Patterson WR Tennessee

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If the Vikings want to rely less on Adrian Peterson they need to find a deep threat for Christian Ponder. Minnesota gets its choice of a bevy of receivers and takes the one that has the most pure talent.

Denver Broncos- Jesse Williams DT Alabama

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The Broncos have a real need for a interior defensive lineman and they satisfy that desire with this pick. Denver's defense is among the best in the game and this pick will only improve the unit moving forward.

San Francisco 49ers- John Jenkins DT Georgia

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The 49ers have run into issues when players get hurt on defense, so they take a player to add some depth to the defensive line. San Francisco does not have many needs, so this pick is more likely to be a backup who gets a lot of playing time rather than a starter.

New England Patriots-Tavon Austin WR West Virginia

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The Patriots only give Tom Brady more targets to throw to down the field. Austin will give New England a vertical threat on the outside they don't currently have, but can also be a possession guy for the Patriots.

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